Home Is Where the Heart Is
by YanksLuver
Summary: Robin and Patrick travel to his hometown for his grandmother's funeral.
1. Chapter 1

**Title **: Home Is Where the Heart Is

**Author **: Steph  
**Rating **: PG  
**Pairing **: Robin/Patrick  
**Category **: Romance/Drama/bit of Humor

**Disclaimer **: I do this out of a love for this couple. No infringement is intended.  
**Spoilers **: Nothing really.  
**Summary **: Robin and Patrick travel to his hometown for his grandmother's funeral.

**Note **: Thanks for the feedback on "Count on Me". This sort of popped into my head and it was meant to be a one-shot, but it kept growing. It's currently complete at three parts, but you know how that goes. If I tinker and add stuff in, it could get longer. This takes place sometime following the jungle adventure. Robin has returned home. Also, I don't know where Patrick grew up, but people seem to think New York. So I picked a town in Long Island. Anyway, hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought! Thanks!

-Steph

**--- Home Is Where the Heart Is: Part 1/3---**

Robin walked into the locker room, finding Patrick sitting on the bench, his back to her with his head bowed.

"Patrick? Did you forget that you had a consult scheduled with my patient, Mr. Lyman? I paged you twenty minutes ago when you didn't show up."

Patrick raised his head, as he ran a hand down his face. He stood up, but didn't face her.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. Something came up."

Robin's brow furrowed. She walked over and stood in front of him. He moved his eyes to the floor, but she could tell they were red-rimmed.

"Are you okay? What happened?"

Patrick swallowed hard, as he blinked back tears. He lifted his eyes. "I just got a call from a relative back home. My grandmother passed away."

Robin's expression softened. She reached out and touched his arm. "Oh, I'm so sorry."

He nodded. "Thanks. She was eighty-four, but it was unexpected. It must have been her heart. She died in her sleep."

Patrick sank down onto the bench, as if the pain was just too much to bear. Robin sat down next to him. "Were you close?"

Patrick nodded. "She was my maternal grandmother. She lived close to us. I practically lived at her house in the summer when I was a kid. She had a pool and made me cookies everyday."

Robin smiled, as she tried to picture Patrick as a child.

Patrick took a deep breath. "After my mom died, I would make it a point to call her everyday from college. It made me feel closer to my mom, you know?"

"Grandmothers have a way of doing that," Robin said knowingly.

Patrick's lips turned downward. "But once I started medical school and then with my hours at the hospital...I didn't call as much as I should have. And now she's gone."

"I'm sure she knew how much you loved her. I'm sure she understood."

"I was supposed to spend this last Christmas with her, but I didn't want to leave my father. I know how hard Christmas is for him."

"Did your father get along with her?"

"Get along with who?" came Noah's voice from behind them.

Robin and Patrick stood and turned around to face Noah. Robin looked from Noah then to Patrick.

"I should let you guys talk," Robin said and made a move to leave.

Patrick caught her forearm gently with his hand. He looked down at her. "I'd like you to stay."

Patrick wasn't sure why he was always asking Robin to stay during his conversations with his father. They were usually heated and filled with pain from the past. But something about her presence brought him comfort.

Patrick placed his hands on hips and looked at his father, "Grandma Lee."

Noah's brow furrowed at the mention. He swallowed. "Why are you discussing her?"

"Because she's dead," Patrick snapped.

Robin's eyes widened at the blunt way Patrick revealed the news to his father.

"Patrick," she said softly, her eyes lifting to his face.

He didn't meet her gaze, instead focusing on his father, but addressing her. "No, why bother softening the blow? It's not like he cared about her."

"You know that's not true," Noah replied softly.

"Do I? When was the last time you saw her?" he asked.

Noah lowered his eyes, but didn't respond.

"Fine, I'll answer for you. It was after mom died. You saw her at the funeral and that was it. I guess you couldn't stand to face her either."

"She blamed me, Patrick," he said.

"She never said that."

"She didn't have to. I saw it in her eyes."

"She was in pain, Dad. She'd just lost her only daughter."

"And I was the one responsible."

Patrick shook his head, his jaw clenching. "She loved you and she never blamed you."

Noah's eyes filled with tears. "She was a wonderful woman. I remember how impressed I was with her when we first met. She lost her husband when your mother was six and worked two jobs to support her four kids." He paused, shaking his head. "She sacrificed so much so that your mother could have the best life possible. She raised an amazing daughter. I was grateful that she gave me Mattie. And I couldn't stand knowing that I had taken her away from her."

Patrick sighed, a bitter smile appearing on his lips. "You just don't get it, do you? It wasn't about you. When she saw me or talked to me, she felt closer to mom. You could have done the same for her. But no. You were too lost in your own pain and grief to consider what she needed...what anyone else needed."

Noah bobbed his head. "Maybe you're right. I thought I was making it easier on her. I thought one look at me and she'd remember what she had lost. I guess I was wrong."

"So, then you'll go to her funeral with me?" Patrick asked suddenly, his voice soft.

Robin was surprised by the request, as was his father. Noah shook his head. "I don't belong there. Not anymore."

Patrick let out a disgusted breath. "Why am I not surprised? It might be a little difficult, facing the family after all this time. And you've made taking the easy route into an art form. You drank to avoid the pain of losing mom. You chose to die rather than fight to live. Why should this be any different?"

"Please give the family my condolences," Noah whispered, before turning on his heel to leave.

"Give them yourself, you selfish son of a bitch!" Patrick called after him, as the door swung closed.

Robin looked up at Patrick. A tear slipped down his cheek and he swatted at it with his hand roughly.

"Patrick."

"I'm fine," he said.

She took a step forward, bringing her hand to his cheek and gently caressing it.

"No, you're not."

Their eyes held for a moment. Robin moved closer, wrapping her arms around his waist and placing her head against his chest. He slowly brought his arms around her and rested his chin on the top of her head, as he squeezed his eyes shut.

---

Patrick pulled open his car door and got in. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he found Robin sitting in the passenger seat, smiling at him.

"Jesus, you scared the crap out of me," he said, bringing a hand to his forehead.

"Sorry," she replied.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm going with you to Long Island," she stated.

Patrick's eyes widened. "Excuse me? I don't remember inviting you."

"You didn't have to."

"Why in the world would you want to spend the next three days in Bayshore, Long Island with my family, honoring a woman you've never met?"

She met his eyes and replied softly, "I don't want to spend the next three days with your family, honoring a woman I've never met. I want to spend the next three days with you, helping you honor a woman you loved dearly."

Patrick eyed her for a long moment, his chest tightening at the sentiment. "Why?"

"Because I care about you and I don't think you should be alone right now."

"I have a very big family. I'll be far from alone."

"I know what it's like to be in a room full of people and still feel completely and utterly alone. They don't share the connection that you do with the person you lost. Sometimes you need someone who doesn't have any connection at all to help you through it."

A small smile pulled at his lips. "Is this payback for forcing my way into that jungle adventure and annoying you the whole time?"

She shrugged. "You did that because you care about me, too, no matter what reason you gave. You wanted to be there for me, to help me with my father. I want to do the same for you."

Patrick met her eyes and then slipped the key in the ignition.

"Okay. Thank you," he said softly.

Robin smiled and watched as he backed out of the parking spot. They drove in a comfortable silence for a while, until he glanced at her.

"How exactly did you get in my car anyway? It was locked."

"I have superspy genes, remember? I have my ways."

"So you can do more than just butcher snakes, huh?"

"You have no idea the extent of what I can do," she replied, her tone suddenly seductive and her eyes sparkling.

Patrick tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white, as he turned his attention back to the road.

"So, what's your family like?" she asked a moment later.

Patrick shrugged. "Like most families. Loud, irritating, makes you wonder if you were switched at birth."

"That bad, huh?"

He smiled. "They're actually really fun. A little crazy maybe, but I think you'll like them."

"I've never really known what it was like to have a large extended family. I mean, I have my Uncle Mac, Felicia, Maxie, and Georgie, but that's really it."

"Well, I've got countless cousins: first, second, third. Aunts and Uncles. It goes on and on."

"It must be nice."

"It is. Family gatherings were always really fun, especially as a kid. And my grandmother was at the center of it all."

Robin grinned. "I bet you were her favorite."

Patrick turned to her, flashing a dimpled smile. "How did you know?"

"You have that way about you. You probably charmed the pants off of her." She reached over and ran a fingertip across his dimple. "I bet that dimple got you out of lots of trouble with her."

His breath caught in his chest from her unexpected touch. He let it out slowly. "Actually, no. But it wasn't from lack of trying. I never got away with anything with her. She just never bought into my whole thing." He paused and then added with a smile. "Kind of like you."

"I definitely think I would have liked her."

"I know you would have. You two are a lot alike. Strong, caring, stubborn, smart." He added, under his breath, "Beautiful, inside and out."

Robin heard the last part, although he hadn't intended her to. Her eyes scanned his face. "Thank you. Comparing me to your grandmother is probably the nicest thing you've ever said to me. Not that there have been a whole lot of nice things to compete against."

He shrugged. "Well, it's true. Maybe that's why I keep coming back no matter how many times you push me away. You remind me of her."

Robin nodded, "That's fine. Just remember who pushed who away last. That would be you doing the pushing."

He sighed, mentally berating himself for unintentionally steering the conversation in this unwanted direction. "You told me the truth, I told you the same. I'm sorry if it's not what you wanted to hear."

"You didn't tell me the truth. The truth would be that you're scared of letting yourself feel like that, opening yourself up to the possibility of getting hurt. I wonder what your grandmother would say about that."

Patrick's jaw tightened, as he focused on the road.

---

Patrick pulled the car up to the curb and put it in park. He took the key out of the ignition and then looked out the windshield at his grandmother's house. It was just as he remembered. A small two-story colonial. Two big oak trees out front. He pointed at the one on the right.

"I fell out of that one when I was eight. Broke my arm," he said to her, the first words he had spoken since things got a little too real for them...again.

Robin turned to look at him. "What were you doing up in the tree?"

"I'd like to say something real boyish, like building a tree house," he said with a chuckle. "My kite got stuck in the tree and I was trying to free it."

"I never pegged you as the kite-flying type of kid."

He turned to her and raised his eyebrows. "There are a lot of things you don't know about me. Prepare to be surprised."

He looked at the house again and the cars that filled the driveway and lined the street. He didn't make a move to get out of the car.

"Are you waiting for something?" Robin asked.

"Yeah, for this to get easier," he said softly.

Robin placed her hand over his. He raised his eyes to meet hers. "You have to face it first."

With that, she opened her door. A moment later, he followed suit.

---

Patrick took a deep breath, as he turned the doorknob and opened the front door. His senses were immediately assaulted by strange and wonderful smells emanating from the kitchen and loud, boisterous voices coming from every room.

He stopped abruptly after crossing the threshold, causing Robin to slam into his back. She took a step back and rubbed at her nose.

"Why did you stop?"

"It just hit me," he whispered.

"What did?"

"She's really gone," he replied.

Robin moved around him and came to stand in front of him. He continued, his eyes focused on the floor. "I mean, I knew it on an intellectual level, but it didn't seem real until right now. I never crossed the threshold of this house before without my grandmother assaulting me with kisses and greeting me with chocolate chip cookies."

Robin looked at him, her heart breaking at the pain he was feeling. She opened her mouth to say something, but he went on before she could. "It was the same with my mom. It didn't really hit me until I went home and she wasn't standing in the kitchen making my favorite meal."

Robin slipped her hand in his. "Come on, let's go," she said, as she led him down the hallway toward the kitchen.

The small kitchen was filled to capacity with relatives, all talking loudly. Robin was the first to enter and suddenly felt very self-conscious. As if on cue, the voices grew silent and they all turned to look at them. Sensing her discomfort, Patrick moved out from behind her and stood by her side, but didn't break the contact their hands had.

He smiled at his relatives. "Hi."

They all smiled and came rushing at him, enveloping him in big bear hugs, kissing his cheeks, and giving him pats on the back. Robin slipped her hand out of his and moved slightly behind him. After nearly five minutes of greetings, they stepped back and, as if all their heads were controlled by a puppet master, they turned to look at Robin.

She brought a hand up and gave a shy little wave. "Hi."

Patrick put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to his side. "This is Dr. Robin Scorpio."

Smiles immediately appeared on their faces. Robin's brow furrowed. They were acting as if they knew who she was. A man about Patrick's age with a matching dimple and curly dark hair, stepped forward, extending his hand.

"Hi, I'm Patrick's cousin, Riley." Robin shook his hand and then watched as he nodded, eyeing her. "So, you're Robin. Patrick's told us all about you."

Robin's eyes widened in surprise. She lifted her gaze to Patrick's face. He lowered his to the ground.

"Oh, really."

"Don't worry, nothing but good things." Robin's brow arched at that. Riley shook his head, as a smile spread across his lips. "It's so nice to meet the woman who finally tamed my cousin. I didn't think it could be done. I didn't think such a woman existed. But here you are."

Robin's mouth dropped open. She looked at Patrick out of the corner of her eye, but he was still finding the tile floor fascinating.

She managed a smile and a shrug of her shoulders. "Here I am."

"Well, if you're half as amazing as Patrick's made you out to be, then I know we're all going to love you."

Robin held up a finger, "Could you excuse us for a minute?"

She grabbed Patrick's hand and pulled him back down the hallway. She wove her way through the crowd of people, dragging Patrick behind her. There were people everywhere and she needed a moment alone with him. She finally found a bathroom off the study. She entered, closing the door behind them.

She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. "Okay, what exactly have you told them about me...us?"

Patrick shrugged. "Nothing. I mentioned you in a few e-mails and phone calls."

"Your cousin is acting like we're about to walk down the aisle!"

"Riley tends to blow things out of proportion."

"Did you tell him we're a couple?"

"I never said that."

"Then why does he think I've tamed you?"

Patrick shrugged his shoulders again. "I don't know. I guess he just took what I said about you and jumped to conclusions."

She took a few steps forward and looked up at him. "What exactly did you say about me?"

Patrick swallowed hard. "He asked if I'd met any interesting women so I mentioned you."

"And?"

"And...I said how you were a doctor and you didn't put up with any of my crap. I told him how smart and strong you are. I may have mentioned something about you being attractive."

"That's it?"

Patrick lowered his eyes. "Well, Riley's not just my cousin, he's my best friend. We grew up together. I tell him things."

"What things?" she asked, her jaw clenched.

"I may have mentioned a make-out session or two."

Robin's eyes widened. "What? Why?"

"He likes to hear what's going on in my life. I think he lives vicariously through me."

"So tell him about a surgery you did or a nurse you flirted with. Don't tell him about us making out!"

"Why not?"

"Why not? Patrick, he knows you. My guess is you never mention a woman you've been with, probably because you don't remember her name or never knew it in the first place. So when you start telling him about the same woman over and over again and then mention us making out, what do you expect him to think? He's going to think we're in a relationship. I'm guessing you conveniently left out our conversations about how you don't want such a thing or he wouldn't have been so misled."

"Well, there's nothing I can do about it now."

"Go in there and set them straight. I'm not spending three days acting as if I'm your girlfriend."

He tilted his head. "Why? What's so bad about that?"

"You tell me. You're the one who doesn't want it."

Patrick sighed. "Look, I've never brought a girl home before. My family's been after me for years to grow up and settle down. It was the one thing my grandmother wanted."

Robin's eyes widened. "Your grandmother thought we-..."

"I just mentioned you in a few phone calls. I guess there was something in my voice. She formed her own conclusions."

Robin groaned. "I guess the question is how did I come up so often?"

Patrick lowered his eyes, replying softly. "I don't know. I would just start talking about what's happening in my life and you would come up. I guess I didn't realize how much a part of my life you've become."

Robin swallowed hard, surprised by the admission.

He sighed. "I would never ask you to do anything you're uncomfortable with, so-..."

She shook her head. "No, it's okay. They're obviously very happy for you. I think they have enough to deal with having lost your grandmother. There's no point in bringing this up. I'll just deal with it, I guess."

Patrick nodded. "Thank you."

Robin turned around and opened the door. Patrick placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her out.

**-----------------------------------**

**Part 2 coming soon...**

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you thought! -Steph


	2. Chapter 2

**Title **: Home Is Where the Heart Is

**Author **: Steph  
**Rating **: PG  
**Pairing **: Robin/Patrick  
**Category **: Romance/Drama/bit of Humor

**Disclaimer **: I do this out of a love for this couple. No infringement is intended.  
**Spoilers **: Nothing really.  
**Summary **: Robin and Patrick travel to his hometown for his grandmother's funeral.

**Note #1** : Thanks for the great feedback on the first part! I am so glad you're enjoying it! It's definitely fun to investigate his background and put Robin and Patrick in a different situation. Well, as many of you probably expected, this has grown in 4 parts. Lots of tinkering. This will probably be the longest, unless I tinker some more. That should be it at 4 parts though.

**Note # 2: **It was pointed out to me that I made an error and mentioned that Grandma Lee lost her only child, then mentioned she had four children. I was supposed to write she lost her only daughter. She does have four children. Just wanted to clear that up in case anyone was confused. Thanks to karikos on for pointing that out!

Anyway, hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought! Thanks! -Steph

**---Home Is Where the Heart Is: Part 2/4 ---**

"Do you remember how she used to give out tic-tacs for Halloween? I mean, not even the whole container. But individual tic-tacs! And if the kids kept their hands out too long waiting for more, she would take the tic-tac back and call them greedy!" Patrick's cousin, Austin, said.

Robin laughed, joining in with Patrick's family. They were sitting around, eating and sharing stories about Patrick's grandmother. Normally, people sitting around talking and laughing after the loss of someone would make Robin uncomfortable. But this was different. They were celebrating the life this woman had lived, the impact she had on the people she loved. They weren't dwelling on the loss. Robin had a feeling that this was exactly what Grandma Lee would have wanted.

Riley looked at Patrick. "Do you remember when you broke her antique vase?"

Patrick laughed. "How could I forget? I spent four hours gluing that thing back together. Now we all know how skilled I am with my hands, " he said, holding them up and garnering a good-natured roll of her eyes from Robin. "I thought I had done a pretty damn good job."

"You had," Riley agreed.

"Well, she walked in the door, took one look at me, then at the vase on the table in the foyer, then looked at me again, and said, 'What did you do, boy?'" Patrick said, imitating his grandmother's raspy voice.

The room erupted in laughter. It wasn't long before the laughter slowly subsided though and the room grew quiet, as their eyes took on a faraway look.

Patrick's Aunt Kelly, the wife of Grandma Lee's oldest son, Eddie, finally broke it. She looked at Robin. "So, Robin, tell me. What is it you see in my nephew? Because for the life of me I can't figure it out!"

Patrick grinned, "Thanks, Aunt Kelly."

A blush crept into Robin's cheeks. Everyone's eyes were on her, including Patrick's.

"Well, he's certainly not bad looking," she said with a glance in his direction.

"Believe me, he knows exactly how good-looking he is," his cousin, Rachel, said. "Girls have been telling him since preschool. And he's been telling himself every night in the mirror since second grade!"

Patrick covered his face with his hands, as Robin's mouth dropped open. He shook his head, muttering, "Thank you. Thank you very much. That was one time, Rachel."

"One time that you were caught!" she replied.

Aunt Kelly waved a hand in dismissal. "Oh, we all know how handsome Patrick is. He's been making the rest of us feel inferior since the day he was born. I'm guessing Robin sees more in him than just that."

Robin sighed. "Well, he's a brilliant surgeon."

"Just like his father," Patrick's Uncle Danny said, his tone soft.

Robin nodded. "Yes." She then swallowed hard, lowering her eyes. "The rest took me a while to discover. But he's slowly revealed himself to be a compassionate, caring human being."

"We're still talking about Patrick, right?" joked his cousin, Ty.

The group laughed, as Patrick's eyes met Robin's. He offered her a smile.

Uncle George, Grandma Lee's youngest, looked at Patrick and wagged a finger. "Don't you let go of her. She's either completely blinded by love or off her rocker. Either way, you're not going to find another woman who's willing to put up with you!"

Patrick nodded, his eyes scanning Robin's face.

He replied softly, "I have no intention of letting her go."

His gaze was so intense, Robin had to look away.

---

An hour later, the house was empty. Since Patrick was the only out-of-town family member, he and Robin were left alone to stay in the house, rather than a hotel.

They shared an awkward look as they stood in the living room.

Patrick hooked his thumb in the direction of the stairs. "I'm tired. I think I'm going to go up to bed."

Uncharacteristically, he stopped there, not seizing the moment to hit on her or make some sort of sexual innuendo. .

Robin nodded. "Yeah, me too."

He licked at his lips nervously. "Thank you for coming. This is a lot easier with you here."

"You don't have to thank me. Your family's great."

"They certainly seem to like you."

"Well, they have good taste."

He smiled. "Let me know if you need anything."

"Okay. Night."

"Goodnight, Robin."

They exchanged one last look, before he turned on his heel and went upstairs. Robin watched him go until he disappeared from view.

---

Patrick stood outside Robin's door, his hand poised to knock. He then lowered it, shook his head, and ran a hand through his hair. He had turned on his heel to leave, when he heard the door open behind him.

"Oh, Patrick. Hi," Robin said, clearly surprised to find him lurking outside her door. She pulled her robe closed around her, but not before Patrick caught sight of her purple tank top and the cleavage it revealed.

He slowly turned around to face her. "Hi."

Robin's eyes flowed appreciatively over his body, enjoying the tight t-shirt covering his toned upper body and the boxer shorts on his lower.

She moved her eyes to his face, brow furrowed. "Did you want something?"

He lowered his eyes to floor. "No, forget it. It was nothing. It was stupid."

Robin took a step closer to him and touched his arm. "Tell me."

He raised his eyes to hers. "Can I show you something?"

Robin nodded, her curiosity piqued. He turned around and walked downstairs to the living room, as Robin followed him. He pulled a tape from a shelf and popped it into the VCR, then turned the television on. He gestured for Robin to sit down on the couch and then he sat down next to her. A moment later, images filled the screen.

A smile appeared on Robin's lips and she pointed at the screen. "Is that you?"

Patrick nodded with a grin. "Yeah, ignore the haircut. Riley cut it while I was sleeping."

"How old were you?" she asked, as she watched him pick up present after present beneath the Christmas tree and shake it.

"Five."

Patrick's gaze was suddenly transfixed to the screen. He gestured with his head and spoke so softly Robin almost didn't hear him, "There she is."

Robin looked at the woman he was grieving for. She had short, curly gray hair and wore a red velvet top with a black skirt. Her smile was easy and her blue eyes twinkled.

She watched Patrick lovingly, then handed him a huge box. He tore into it quickly, jumping up and down at his new treasure.

Robin looked at Patrick, who was blinking back tears. "She gave you the racecar set."

"Yeah, she did," he whispered, his voice constricted with emotion. "It was the best present I ever received."

Robin eyed him for a long moment, before placing her head on his shoulder and linking her fingers with his, as they continued to watch the past play out in the present.

---

"Oh, aren't they just the sweetest!" Patrick's Great Aunt Lydia nearly squealed, as she and her sister stood in front of their sleeping figures.

Robin's head was still on Patrick's shoulder and his head rested on top of hers. His left arm was wrapped securely around her upper body.

"If I had my camera, I would take a picture," Aunt Geraldine whispered.

"Geraldine! You know he would never forgive you for that!"

"I can't help it. I'm just so happy that he's finally happy. You know that's all Lee wanted for him. Doesn't it make it easier letting her go knowing he's going to be okay?"

Aunt Lydia didn't have a chance to respond because Patrick began to stir. He slowly opened one eye, finding the smiling faces of his aunts staring back at him. The other flew open soon after. He was suddenly self-conscious of their intimate situation. He lifted his head and pulled his arm off of Robin. He ran a hand through his hair and then down his face tiredly.

"Hi. What are you guys doing here? How did you get in?"

"Our sister gave us a key eons ago. You know, in case of an emergency," Aunt Lydia replied.

Patrick tried to blink the sleep out of his eyes. "Is there an emergency I'm unaware of?"

Aunt Geraldine shook her head. "No, but the rest of the family will be here soon. You know, preparing for the wake."

Patrick's eyes widened. "The wake? It's being held here?"

Aunt Lydia nodded. "No one told you? Lee didn't want to have it at a funeral home. She said she didn't want to lay in a coffin for four hours in some impersonal room that a million other people had been in. She wanted her family and friends to come to her home to say their goodbyes. You know, a place she was comfortable in...that meant something. Plus, she said, you never gather people together without having food!"

Patrick rubbed at his eyes. "Sounds like Grandma."

Just then, Robin began to waken. She slowly opened her eyes and lifted her head off Patrick's shoulder. The sight of Patrick's aunts staring at her wiped the remaining sleep right out of her eyes as they popped open wide.

"Oh, hi. Good morning."

They offered her wide smiles and replied in unison. "Good morning."

Then they turned on their heels and headed for the kitchen.

Robin looked up at Patrick, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. She scooted away from him and pulled a blanket around her. "So...that was interesting."

"Sorry. Apparently, my grandmother decided to have her wake here. They came early to prepare."

"So they saw us...like this?"

Patrick offered her a slight grin. "I was hoping to wake to your face, not theirs."

"Oh, this is embarrassing."

"What's embarrassing? They think we're a couple. And it's not like we were doing it on the couch when they came in. We were asleep," he said.

Robin's eyes widened and she quickly clamped a hand over his mouth. "Don't say 'doing it' with your aunts right in the other room!"

Patrick's smiling eyes met hers. He slowly removed her hand from his mouth. He licked at his lips before speaking. "I don't think they heard me."

"You don't know that."

"Relax, Robin. Plus, they're so happy that I'm finally settling down that I don't think they would have minded finding us on the couch 'doing it'."

"You're disgusting," she said, wrapping the blanket more tightly around her and standing up.

Patrick smiled. "Now that's more like it."

Her brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"You hadn't insulted me or called me anything in more than a day. It was starting to feel a little weird."

"Well, that's because you spent the day acting like a normal human being. I guess you've turned back into a pumpkin."

"What?"

She rolled her eyes. "You know, Cinderella? Clock strikes midnight. The pump-..." She sighed. "If I have to explain it, then the reference loses all of its impact."

Patrick reached out and took her hand in his, pulling her down onto the couch. "Look, I'm always going to be a pumpkin. I've always been one. Not every side of a pumpkin looks the same, right? Well, you're just seeing a different side of me, that's all."

Robin bit at her lip. "Well, I like this different side of you. I wouldn't mind seeing it more often."

He smiled. "I'll see what I can do."

---

Patrick sniffed as he entered the kitchen an hour later, followed by Robin. "Wow, something smells great."

He walked over to the stovetop and lifted the lid on a pan where potatoes and onions were frying. He moved his hand in to grab a potato, when Aunt Lydia's darted out and slapped it. He pulled it back, shaking it back and forth.

"Ow!"

"That's for the guests, Patrick!" she scolded.

She then pulled out a fork, put it through a potato, and held it up to Robin. "Would you like to try some?"

"I'd love some," Robin said, taking the fork from her.

Patrick's eyes widened. "Hey, why does she get some?"

"Because she's a guest. Quit your whining," Aunt Lydia replied.

Geraldine smiled from her spot where she was cutting vegetables. "Actually, Lydia, she's practically family."

Robin started coughing, as she nearly choked on her food.

Patrick grinned at her. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just went down the wrong pipe."

Aunt Geraldine looked at Patrick. "So, my dear nephew, when do you plan on making an honest woman out of her?"

Patrick's eyes dropped to the floor. Robin was enjoying his discomfort now. "Yes, Patrick, when do you plan on making an honest woman out of me?"

"Uh, well, we haven't been together very long-..."

Aunt Lydia waved a hand. "I knew your Uncle Jack two days when I decided to marry him. We've been married nearly fifty years. Happiest fifty years of my life. I always say it feels like fifty minutes."

"What does Uncle Jack say?" Patrick muttered.

Aunt Geraldine hit Patrick upside the head, as Robin tried to suppress a laugh. "You watch that smart mouth of yours. It's bound to get you in trouble one of these days."

Robin smiled. "Trust me, it already has. Many, many, many times."

Patrick offered her a glare. "Thank you, that's helpful. Now could I maybe get some ice for my head and my hand?" he asked no one in particular.

"Get it yourself," was the reply from all three women.

Patrick shook his head and moved to the freezer.

---

Patrick paced nervously back and forth. Everyone would be arriving soon. Grandma Lee's sisters, children and grandchildren had already paid their respects. Grandma Lee had insisted that her casket be closed. She said she didn't like people staring at her when she was alive, why would she want them staring at her when she was dead? Patrick thought she had a point.

Robin came up behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Hey, are you okay?"

He turned around to face her. "I've always hated these things."

"Well, they're not exactly fun for anyone, Patrick."

"No, I just meant...I hate having to stand there and shake all of these people's hands, many of them I don't know. They'll say kind things about my grandmother and tell me how sorry they are. And I'll stand there and I'll nod."

"You don't do it for yourself, Patrick. You do it for her."

"I know, that's the problem. It seems like such a strange way to honor her life. She'd rather we had a barbecue and swapped stories."

"It'll be over soon," she said, taking his hand and leading him into the living room.

---

The wake was nearly over and Patrick didn't think he could take much more. He slipped into the study and found Riley in there, looking at pictures of their family hanging on the wall.

"I see you're hiding out, too," Patrick said, as he came to stand beside him.

"If I had to shake one more hand, nod my head one more time or hear the words 'I'm so sorry for your loss' once more, I think my head was going to explode."

"I know what you're saying."

Riley stared at a picture of their grandmother surrounded by all of her family.

"It's hard to believe she's gone, " he said.

"Yeah, it is," Patrick replied.

"She was really proud of you. You know that, right?" he said, turning to Patrick.

Patrick nodded, as Riley went on. "I mean, she was proud of all of us. But you were different. You lost your mother and you didn't let it stop you from pursuing your dreams. She would sit around during bridge games bragging about her neurosurgeon grandson."

"Did she seem sick?" Patrick asked. "I mean, the last time you saw her."

"I saw her last week. She seemed fine. It was just her time, Patrick."

Patrick had a hard time accepting that. He kept thinking that if he had been there he would have noticed something. If he had spoken to her in the last month, he would have heard something in her voice. There must have been signs. His grandmother was never one to complain about not feeling well, but he could always tell.

"So," Riley began slowly, turning his eyes to Patrick. "When were you going to set me straight about you and Robin?"

Patrick raised his brow. "What do you mean?"

"You can stop pretending with me. I saw the look on her face when I started talking about you guys. And I saw how you found the floor extremely interesting."

Patrick sighed. "You formed your own conclusions about us."

"What was I supposed to think, Patrick?" Riley said, throwing his hands up in the air. "When you talk about women, it's who you flirted with, who you slept with. Never a name in the bunch. Then, all of the sudden, you keep mentioning Robin. How smart she is, how beautiful, how caring. How she challenges you. And then you told me about the physical stuff. Of course I was going to think you were in a relationship with her."

"I didn't realize how much I had mentioned her."

"And you didn't bother correcting me. You knew exactly what I thought. What we all think now." Riley scratched at his forehead. "So answer me this: Why aren't you in a relationship with this woman?"

Patrick shook his head. "Things are complicated between us."

"Patrick, you have this amazing woman, who is willing to come to your grandmother's funeral and spend time with your family. It seems to me she wants a relationship with you. So you must be the one complicating matters."

"I just...I'm just not ready for a serious relationship."

"I know that's a big issue for you. But you have feelings for her. You have deep feelings for her. I don't dare mention the 'L' word for fear you'll shut down and won't hear another word I say, but I can see how you feel about her. I can see it in your eyes."

Patrick lowered his eyes to the ground, but didn't reply.

"Look, I would never tell you what to do. I know you wouldn't listen anyway. But if you don't tell her how you feel soon, you're going to lose her."

"Even if I could, it's not enough to tell her how I feel. She wants a commitment."

"What scares you more? Taking a chance and opening yourself up, with the possibility of getting hurt? Or spending the rest of your life knowing you let her get away? That's what you need to decide."

Patrick swallowed hard. "You sound like Grandma now."

Riley placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well, someone has to knock some sense into you now that she's gone."

With that, Riley turned around and left. Patrick moved his eyes to a picture of him and his grandmother, taken the last Christmas they had spent together.

**---------------------------------  
Part 3 coming soon...**

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you thought.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title **: Home Is Where the Heart Is  
**Author **: Steph  
**Rating **: PG  
**Pairing **: Robin/Patrick  
**Category **: Romance/Drama/bit of Humor  
**Disclaimer **: I do this out of a love for this couple. No infringement is intended.  
**Spoilers **: Nothing really.  
**Summary **: Robin and Patrick travel to his hometown for his grandmother's funeral.

**Note **: Thanks for the feedback on Part 2! I'm so glad you're enjoying. Last part soon! Hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought! Thanks! –Steph

**---Home Is Where the Heart Is: Part 3/4---**

The wake had just ended and Patrick was in search of Robin. He'd looked throughout the entire house, before he finally decided to try outside.

"I was wondering where you went off to," Patrick said, as he found Robin sitting outside on the porch swing.

He sat down next to her and she turned to face him. "I needed some fresh air."

He smiled. "Has my family finally gotten to you?"

She shook her head. "On the contrary. I'm really enjoying spending time with them, even under the circumstances. You're really lucky."

Patrick nodded. "Yeah, I guess I am."

They fell into a comfortable silence for a few moments until Patrick broke it.

"It's a beautiful night," he said, looking up at the clear sky and the stars sparkling like diamonds.

"Yeah, it is," she agreed.

"My grandmother used to love nights like this. She's would sit in this swing for hours, just looking up at the sky. She used to say that only good things can happen on nights like this."

Robin looked at him. "I guess it's kind of ironic then that we're here because she passed. Not exactly a good thing."

"No," he said softly, turning to meet her eyes and bringing his hand up to cup her cheek. "But something good can come from it."

He inched closer to her, bringing his lips to hers in a soft kiss. Robin could have melted right into him, but she forced herself to stop.

She pulled back, shaking her head. "I can't do this."

"Do what?"

"This," she said gesturing between them.

"Kiss? Actually, you can and, I know from experience, you can do it very well."

He began leaning in again, but she brought her hand up to his chest and gently halted his movement.

"No, because it's not just a kiss, Patrick. Not to me," she said, shaking her head.

Patrick licked at his lips. "So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying we're colleagues and we're learning to be friends, but there can't be anything physical between us...because, for me, it's not just physical. It's a whole lot more. And I can't just turn that off."

He nodded and dropped his eyes to his hands. He was silent for a few long moments, his thoughts moving to his conversation with Riley.

He took a deep breath and then said huskily, "And what if I said it's not just physical for me either? That it's a whole lot more. What would you say to that?"

Robin's eyes widened, her mouth dropping slightly open. She inhaled deeply and then exhaled, before speaking. "I would say that it's not enough to just feel it or say it. You have to prove it to me."

"Prove it to you how?"

"By having a real relationship." Patrick bowed his head, as she went on. "Until you're willing to do that, it doesn't really matter how either one of us feels."

Robin stood up and walked back inside, as Patrick's eyes followed her.

---

Patrick and Robin waved goodbye to the last of his relatives, saying they would see them the next morning at the funeral. Patrick closed the door behind them and looked at Robin.

There was this tension between them now, their conversation from earlier weighing on their minds. Still, Robin felt like they had made some progress. Patrick was willing to admit he had real feelings for her. But he still couldn't take it any farther. The worst part was that having spent this time together, now she felt closer to him than ever and, in turn, wanted him more than ever. During their time there together, he had shown her sides of himself that she didn't know existed.

Patrick licked at his lips. "About earlier-..."

"Forget it. I know I was pushing again-..."

"No, you weren't," he said cutting her off, his voice soft. She met his eyes, as he went on. "It's not that I don't want to, Robin. I do. You have no idea how much. I'm just not there yet."

Robin nodded. "I understand."

He shook his head, stepping closer, and bringing his hands up to cup the sides of her face. "I don't think you do. I want...I need you to understand how much you really mean to me. Being here with you like this, seeing you with my family...It made me realize how much I want someone to share things with. I never thought I wanted that before. And I know I want that person to be you."

Robin blinked back tears, as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Then what's stopping you?"

He dropped his hands from her face and brought them to his side. He lowered his eyes and blew out a breath of air. "I can't explain it."

"Try."

But he just shook his head and whispered. "I can't."

He then walked past her and down the hallway. Robin allowed a tear to stroll down her cheek.

---

Robin blew on her hot chocolate, as she headed back to her bedroom. Her brow wrinkled, as she noticed light coming from beneath Patrick's door. Robin stood at the door, staring for nearly a full minute, debating whether or not to knock. Finally, she let out a breath. She pulled her robe closed and tied the belt, before raising her hand and knocking on the door.

A moment later, the door swung open, revealing Patrick. He stood in front of her in nothing but a pair of plaid pajama pants. Her eyes lingered on his nicely toned chest for a few moments, before she brought her eyes to his face.

"Oh, hi. Sorry to bother you, I just noticed your light was still on and I wanted to make sure everything was okay."

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I was picked to give the eulogy tomorrow. I've been trying to write it for two hours now."

"Well, what do you have so far?"

He moved from the doorway to a small desk by the window and picked up a piece of paper. He returned a moment later and held it in front of him.

"We gather here today to honor an amazing woman."

"Keep going," Robin said.

He lowered the paper and looked at her. "That's it."

Robin's eyes widened. "That's all you wrote? That took you two hours?"

"No, that took me two seconds. I spent the rest of the time trying to think of what else to say."

"Just say how you felt about her."

He eyed her and replied softly, "You of all people should know that's not easy for me."

Robin sighed. "You told me what she meant to you. That's all you have to do. Maybe tell a few funny stories."

He moved to the bed and sank down onto it. "This shouldn't be so hard. When have you known me to be at a loss for words?"

She sat down next to him. "You just said it. You're never at a loss for words when it comes to debating a patient's care or telling me how to live my life. But when it comes to how you feel about someone...Well, it's a lot harder."

He stared down at the paper. "How do you sum up a life in a few paragraphs? She was so much more than that."

"Of course she was. It's not about summing up her life. It's about remembering her and saying how she touched yours."

"I don't think I know how to do that."

Robin thought for a moment. "What's the best advice she ever gave you?"

Patrick moved his eyes to his hands. "It was after my mother died. My father had started drinking and making a mess out of his life. She said that you have two choices when you lose someone. You can choose to drown in the pain or you can choose to live your life like each day is a gift and could be your last."

"So that's what made you spontaneous."

"Yeah, I guess. I mean, I knew I didn't want to turn into my father. He felt so much that he couldn't function. I lived each day like it was my last, savoring every moment, but I never felt anything. I wouldn't let myself."

"Your grandmother didn't want that for you."

"I know. She told me so. She knew what I was like. How I would put up walls and pursue women I had no future with. She told me that if I didn't change soon, there would come a day when I would look back on this time in my life and I would be able to pinpoint the moment when I let my chance at happiness slip through my fingers."

His eyes captured hers and held for a long moment. Robin realized that, without even realizing it, he was explaining to her what was stopping him from going any farther with her. But, still, Robin felt like it went deeper. She felt like there was a part of him she just didn't understand yet and it was rooted in his painful past.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"Nothing then. The next time we talked, I told her about you."

Robin's brow furrowed. "Why?"

"Because I wanted her to think I was trying to change."

"Were you?"

"I am now," he said, his voice sincere.

Robin lowered her eyes and took a deep breath. "Well, I guess I should let you get back to work. Sorry I couldn't be of more help."

"No, you helped. You helped a lot."

She nodded, noting something in his tone.

"Goodnight, Patrick," she said.

"Goodnight, Robin."

---

Robin glanced at her watch for the fifth time and then looked at the stairs. Still no Patrick. The funeral started at 9:00 a.m. and it was already after 8:30. She sighed and went to the foot of the stairs.

"Patrick? Are you almost ready? It's getting late."

When she didn't receive a reply, she walked up the stairs. She found the door to his room open. He was standing in front of the full-length mirror, fumbling with his tie.

"I seem to be all thumbs today," he muttered. "So much for skilled hands."

She looked at his furrowed brow, beaded with sweat. "I don't think I've ever seen you nervous. Not even before a risky surgery."

He shook his head. "Well, I'm at home in an operating room. I know how to do that. This...I don't know how to do. I don't know how to say goodbye to her. I don't know how to get up in front of all my family and friends and say how she touched my life. Brain surgery's a cakewalk compared to this."

Robin smiled comfortingly, as she came to stand in front of him. She gently pulled his hands away from the tie and undid the mess he'd made. He watched as she expertly tied it. Her hands moved to his shoulders and she met his eyes.

"You're going to be fine. Just breathe."

He grinned, "You're not going to offer me advice, like picture the audience naked, are you? Because those people are my family and I'm just not comfortable with that."

Robin chuckled softly. "No, nothing like that. You don't need my advice anyway. You know what you have to do and you'll do it."

He nodded, swallowing hard.

She then slipped her hand in his, linking their fingers. "Let's go."

---

Patrick took a deep breath as he stood at the podium and looked out at the sea of familiar faces. Only one brought him any comfort though. He found Robin and she smiled at him. He exhaled and swallowed hard.

"I was up all last night trying to think of what I should say today. It should have been easy. My grandmother was an amazing woman, who loved deeply, fiercely, and unconditionally. She touched the lives of every person who loved her in her own special way. I couldn't understand why I was having so much trouble. And then it hit me. I knew if she were here today she would take one look at me and say how disappointed she was in me."

Robin's brow furrowed in confusion, as he went on. "You see, my grandmother could always see right through me. That's how she knew I'd broken that vase. The look on my face said it all. So, if she were here today, looking at me, she would know that I hadn't taken her advice. I hadn't lived each day as if it were a gift. And I hadn't changed so that I wouldn't look back and realize happiness had passed me by. She would know because she always knew. The only way to really honor my grandmother's memory is to start taking her advice now. So, that's what I'm going to do."

He met Robin's eyes and she felt something swell inside her at his words. She watched as he licked at his dry lips and went on, "She was a great example of someone who lived everyday to the fullest. She got up every morning and watched the sun rise and spent every night watching the sun set. When she talked to you, it didn't matter if there were a hundred other people in the room, you felt like you were the only one on earth. She made you feel that special. I want to live my life like that, I want to be that kind of person. And, maybe, someday, she'll look down on me and she won't be disappointed anymore."

With that, Patrick walked down the stairs and headed towards his seat next to Robin. Before he sat down, his eyes caught sight of his father standing in the back of the church. Noah offered him a small smile and a nod of his head, before turning around and walking out the door.

Patrick swallowed hard and then sat down. Robin turned to look at him. She smiled and placed her hand over his.

---

At the cemetary, Patrick kept looking for his father, hoping he would be there somewhere. But he wasn't. The crowd dispersed and headed over to his grandmother's house for a reception. Patrick turned to Robin as they headed toward his car.

"I want to make a quick stop before we go back."

"Okay."

Robin followed Patrick down a winding road and a hill. He stopped in his tracks when he caught sight of a huge oak tree. Beneath it, was a headstone. Standing in front of the headstone, was Noah.

Patrick swallowed around the lump in his throat. He moved toward his father, but Robin stayed back. Realizing that she wasn't moving with him, he turned back around and took her hand in his. He then guided them both to where his father stood.

Robin's eyes landed on the headstone.

Mattie Drake  
May 5, 1950 - March 13, 1996  
Beloved Mother, Wife, Daughter, and Sister

Patrick's eyes filled with tears as he looked at the headstone. He then moved his eyes to his father.

"I'm surprised you came," he said.

"So am I."

"Why did you then?"

Noah met Patrick's eyes. "I had to say goodbye." Patrick nodded. Noah smiled gently. "You did a wonderful job today with the eulogy. Your grandmother would have been proud."

"She probably would have said, 'Typical Patrick, he made it all about himself'."

"No, you said what was in your heart and what she did for you. That's all that matters."

Noah looked back down at the headstone, a faraway look in his eyes. "Did I ever tell you about the first time I met her?" Patrick shook his head, as he went on. "She took one look at me and had me pegged. She said, 'You're a womanizer. You don't know how to commit. Well, my daughter deserves a man who's going to look at her like she's the only woman on earth and make her feel like she is everyday of her life. If you don't think you can do that, then leave now and stop wasting our time.'" Noah shook his head and chuckled. "It's funny to say, but I knew the moment I meant your grandmother that your mother was the one for me. Boy, did I change my ways."

Patrick glanced at Robin, who lowered her eyes to the ground. He moved his gaze back to his father. "Are you coming to the house?"

Noah shook his head. "I have to get back to General Hospital."

"Just for a little while?"

"I can't," Noah said, his eyes unable to meet his son's.

Patrick nodded and put his hands in his pockets. "Okay. I'm glad you came, Dad."

"So am I. I'll see you back home."

With that, Noah turned on his heel and walked away. Patrick watched him go and then knelt down, brushing debris off his mother's headstone.

"Hi, Mom. It's been a while."

---

After over an hour at the reception, Robin felt like she needed some space, so she found refuge in the study. She sat down on the couch and then leaned forward, picking up a picture album on the coffee table. She opened it up and began flipping through it.

Patrick's cousin, Rachel, who was also Riley's twin sister, found Robin in the study looking at the album.

Robin raised her eyes to meet Rachel's, a blush creeping into her cheeks. "I'm sorry, it wasn't my place to-..."

Rachel shook her head, as she sat down next to her. "No need to apologize. You're practically family anyway."

Robin lowered her eyes, feeling guilty for betraying these nice people...people who just wanted someone they loved to be happy.

"Is that Patrick?" Robin asked, as she pointed to a little boy around one, sitting in his high chair, wearing nothing but a diaper, chocolate cake, and a dimpled smile.

Rachel nodded with a grin, "Of course. He never did like wearing a shirt."

Robin chuckled. She found Rachel eyeing her and her laugh slowly subsided.

"So, I'm curious. You're an intelligent, successful, attractive woman. You know the kind of guy my cousin is. What made you give him the time of day?"

Robin bit at her bottom lip. "Your cousin is kind of hard to ignore. Let's just say he was persistent."

Rachel's brow furrowed. "That's interesting. Patrick's never had to work at getting a woman and once he's had her, that's usually it. It's over. You must be different though."

"I guess," Robin said.

A smile pulled at Rachel's lips. "Impressive. I like your commitment."

Robin's brow furrrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't think you'd be able to keep this up for so long. This relationship thing."

Robin's eyes widened. "You knew?"

Rachel nodded. "Riley and I grew up with Patrick. We were inseparable. We know him better than he knows himself. I knew as soon as I saw him look at you. What he wants is standing right in front of him, but he doesn't have it. At least, not yet."

Robin lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry for letting you believe-..."

"No, it's okay. You two may not be in a relationship, which I'm willing to bet is my cousin's fault, but the feelings are there. And they're real."

Robin met her eyes. "He's not ready for a serious relationship."

Rachel looked at Robin. "There's something you need to understand about my cousin. He's not just another commitment phobic guy. Another guy afraid of emotional intimacy. There's a reason he's this way." Rachel bit at her bottom lip before going on. "Aunt Mattie and Uncle Noah had an amazing marriage. Sure, they would bicker, but it was always done in love and with respect. The way they would look at each other, the way they would touch. It was incredible. We would watch them and think it's too perfect to be true. They must go home and either fight like dogs or ignore each other. But Patrick would tell us what they were like at home. How they would fall asleep in each other's arms watching television, dance in the kitchen. The way they would look at each other when they thought no one else was watching." Robin could feel her chest tightening as she thought about Noah and what had become of him. Rachel swallowed hard. "Patrick never said anything, but I knew that he looked at their marriage as a model for what relationships should be like, what love should be like. So when Aunt Mattie died and Uncle Noah began his downward spiral, Patrick couldn't deal with it. He saw what losing his mother did to his father and decided he was better off without love. He decided that he didn't want to let himself be vulnerable like that, to allow his himself to lose control over his emotions. He didn't want to take the risk of loving, losing, and becoming his father. So he never let a woman get close."

Robin shook her head. "I knew he didn't want to become like his father, but I never really knew the extent of it. He's really afraid of love."

Rachel nodded. "He doesn't talk about it, of course. But it's huge. The year after Aunt Mattie died, Patrick had to do a term paper for his final for an English Lit class. The assignment was to use the theme of love to compare and contrast the relationships of the characters in the novels they had read throughout the semester. Patrick never wrote a word. Just stared at his computer screen for hours. He couldn't disengage. He couldn't even intellectualize it, which was a first for him. He missed the deadline and would have gotten an incomplete for the class if he hadn't charmed the female professor into giving him an extension and allowing him to do another topic."

Robin let out a breath. "I had no idea it went so deep."

Rachel nodded, but offered her a small smile. "But there must be something different about you, Robin. He feels something for you and, it seems, he just can't let you go. He should be running in the other direction, but, instead, he's letting you get closer than any woman ever has before. I think something is changing for him and I think it's all because of you."

Robin smiled. "Thank you for helping me understand him better."

Rachel placed her hand over Robin's. "Thank you for not giving up on my cousin."

**-----------------------------------  
Last part coming soon...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Title**: Home Is Where the Heart Is  
**Author**: Steph  
**Rating**: PG  
**Pairing**: Robin/Patrick  
**Category**: Romance/Drama/bit of Humor  
**Disclaimer**: I do this out of a love for this couple. No infringement is intended.  
**Spoilers**: Nothing really.  
**Summary**: Robin and Patrick travel to his hometown for his grandmother's funeral.

**Note**: Thanks so much for the great feedback on Part 3! **This is the last part, but read my note to you at the end. I have a little surprise for you guys that I think you'll be happy to hear!** So, hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought! Thanks!  
-Steph

**---Home Is Where the Heart Is: Part 4/4---**

Patrick met Robin's eyes across the room, as he pretended to listen to his annoying cousin, Lloyd, talk about having his plantar's warts removed from his feet and having surgery for his Sweaty Palm Syndrome. He tried to send a plea with his eyes for her to save him. She smiled and excused herself from her conversation with his Great Aunt Helen. She walked over to him and linked her arm with his.

"Lloyd, do you think I could steal your cousin for a minute?"

Lloyd shrugged, pointed to his temple, and closed his eyes. "Making mental note of where I left off in story."

Robin's eyes widened, as she pulled Patrick away. She looked up at him.

"He's interesting."

Patrick smiled. "You're too nice. He's incredibly annoying. He tells the longest, most boring stories ever. And he tells completely inappropriate jokes at completely inappropriate times."

"So I saved you."

"And I will be eternally grateful to you," he said flashing her a dimpled smile.

They headed for the refreshment table and helped themselves to some soda. They stood in silence drinking their beverages, until Patrick suddenly turned to her, his eyes taking on a strange look.

"Let's get out of here," he said.

Robin's eyes widened at him over the rim of her cup. She slowly lowered her cup from her mouth and spoke, "We can't just leave, Patrick. All of your family's here."

"So? I feel like I'm suffocating in here." He met her eyes. "Come with me. I want to show you something."

Robin looked around at his family and then sighed in defeat. "Okay, but just for a little while."

He smiled and grabbed her hand.

---

Robin and Patrick walked down the sidewalk, the cool night's air blowing around them.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see. We're almost there."

A couple of more minutes passed and then Patrick stopped abruptly in front of a house. He looked at it, a wistfulness taking up residence in his eyes.

"Here we are."

"Where is that exactly?"

"My childhood home."

Robin moved her eyes from the house that looked like a replica of his grandmother's to his face.

"Why are we here?"

"I wanted to see it. I haven't been back since my mom died. Dad sold it shortly thereafter."

He walked down the path and up the steps. The house was dark. He brought his finger up and rang the doorbell.

Robin whispered, "What are you doing?"

"I want to see if anyone's home."

"You're not seriously going to ask these people to let you see your old house, are you?"

"No, of course not. I want to see if anyone's home so they won't shoot me when I break in," he replied with a lopsided smile.

Robin's mouth dropped open. "Excuse me? Break in?"

He flashed her a grin. "Yeah. You know how to pick a lock?"

"I am not breaking into this house with you, Patrick!" she replied in a harsh whisper.

"You don't know how to pick a lock then? So much for those superspy genes. You got into my car, so I figured-..."

She sighed. "I took your keys, unlocked the door, and then returned them. Okay?"

He smiled. "Well, I can probably pick it. I've seen enough television shows and movies. Do you have a bobby pin?"

"You're kidding, right?"

"What? Don't women carry those around with them?"

"I haven't used a bobby pin since I had my last dance recital."

"You should really carry them with you. You know, for a situation just like this."

"My uncle is a police commissioner, Patrick. I can't break into a house."

"He'll never know. It's out of his jurisdiction anyway." He raised his eyebrows, "Spontaneous."

"Why does spontaneous have to involve breaking the law?"

"Look, you're not the saint you claim to be. You broke a lot of laws with my father's transplant."

"Yeah, because I was trying to help him. But this-..."

"Would help me," he finished for her softly.

Her face softened and she sighed in defeat. "Fine, just do it. Let's get it over with."

Patrick brought his hand up to the doorknob and was surprised to find that it was unlocked.

"Well, look at that. No bobby pin needed. Technically, now it's just entering."

"Yeah, that'll be our argument went they drag us down to the police station. I'm sure it will go over really well."

Robin realized she was now talking to herself because Patrick had already entered the house. She closed the door behind them, her eyes landing on Patrick who stood in the living room, transfixed.

"It's changed so much. The walls are a different color, they have hardwood floors instead of wall-to-wall carpeting."

"It's been a long time."

"I had this picture in my head of it looking exactly how I remembered. I guess that was stupid though."

He pointed at the big picture window in the living room. "We used to put our Christmas tree in front of that window. We always got a fake one. My mom didn't like the needles all over the carpet."

He moved to the kitchen, smiling when he saw a nick in the tile floor.

"It's still there."

"What is?" Robin said, following his eyes downward.

Patrick pointed. "That chip in the tile. When I was five, I decided my model airplane could really fly. I stood on a chair and let it go. It landed there and chipped the tile. My father wanted to kill me."

He then moved his eyes to the center of the kitchen. Robin saw his eyes grow glassy with tears, as they took on a faraway look. She could tell he was back in the past, watching his father twirl his mother around the kitchen.

Robin swallowed. "Rachel told me your parents used to dance in the kitchen."

Patrick's head snapped in her direction, his eyes wide with surprise. "She told you that?"

Robin nodded. "Yeah. It sounds like they had an amazing marriage."

He moved his gaze back to the middle of the room. "They did."

She opened her mouth to say something else, then snapped it closed. Patrick shook his head and rubbed at his eyes, as he moved up the stairs that led into the kitchen. He made his way to the top and turned left, stopping at the second door on the right. He slowly turned the doorknob and let the door swing open. She could hear him suck in a breath as he took in the room.

"This was my bedroom."

Robin tilted her head, "I'm guessing the flowered wallpaper wasn't here when you occupied the room."

"No, it was painted a pale blue. It was done in a baseball theme. My mom painted it all herself."

He walked in, surveying the surroundings. "The bed used to be right in front of the window." He turned to her, offering her a slight grin. "I copped my first feel right there. I was thirteen."

She rolled her eyes. "Such a warm, fuzzy memory."

He walked over to the closet and pulled open the door. He ran his hand along the frame of the door. "It's still here, too."

Robin took a closer look. There were pencil marks with numbers and dates trailing up.

"My mom used to measure my height every couple of months."

Robin smiled, realizing how many memories this place held for him. She didn't have a home like that. At least, not one she had grown up in from a very young age.

"You miss it, don't you? This house, this town, your family."

Patrick bobbed his head. "When I was a kid, I used to say how I couldn't wait to go away to college. I wanted to live in the city. It was too slow for me here. I never appreciated it."

"But you do now."

"More than I ever thought I would."

The moonlight hit his face, casting shadows across half of it. She bit at her bottom lip. "You came from Manhattan to do the surgery on Jason and you never went back. Port Charles isn't exactly a hotbed of excitement either. What made you stay?"

"My father. I guess I wanted another chance with him, no matter how much I tried to deny it." Robin nodded. She suddenly felt his eyes on her and began to grow uncomfortable. "And you," he added softly.

Her eyes narrowed. "What?"

His piercing eyes captured hers. "I stayed because of you."

Robin could feel her heart begin to beat faster. There was something different in his voice. There was something different in his eyes.

She shook her head and grinned, managing a nervous chuckle. "You mean because you so enjoyed annoying me?"

"You know what I mean," he replied, his voice remaining soft and serious.

Robin swallowed hard and looked at her watch. "We should probably get going. Your family's going to start wondering what happened to us."

She didn't wait for Patrick to respond. She walked out of the bedroom and he followed.

---

"You did not!" Robin said, as she gave Patrick a gentle swat on the arm as they walked on the sidewalk.

He shrugged. "I lost the bet. I had no choice."

"You seriously dressed up as Madonna during her pointy bra stage for Halloween when you were fourteen?"

He grinned. "You're turned on by that, aren't you? I can tell you're picturing it."

Robin laughed and shook her head. "Actually, I'm having trouble visualizing it. I think I may need to see some evidence. I'll have to ask Riley if there are any pictures around."

"Go ahead. I was hot."

Robin laughed again and was just about to turn to say something to him, when she realized he was no longer beside her. She turned around and found Patrick rooted to his spot, staring straight ahead. Robin followed his gaze. There was a park across the street. Without saying a word, Patrick crossed the street. He walked over to the swings and sat down on one.

Robin was surprised, but followed him, taking the swing next to him.

"I used to come here all the time as a kid. My parents used to bring me. Sometimes I'd come with my grandmother. When I got older, I hung out with my friends." He smiled, meeting her eyes. "I had my very first kiss right here on these swings."

She grinned. "Oh yeah, who was she?"

"Her name was Suzy Collins."

"How old were you?"

A smile spread across his lips. "Six."

She shook her head. "Why am I not surprised?"

"We saw her older brother kissing his girlfriend and we thought it looked really gross. So, we decided to see for ourselves."

"And?"

He tilted his head, a crooked smile appearing on his lips. "Well, let's just say that was the beginning of a lifelong hobby."

Robin shook her head and laughed. She didn't notice Patrick had grabbed the chains of her swing with each hand until he pulled her close to him. Her laugh slowly subsided, as she met his piercing gaze. She suddenly felt like she couldn't swallow or breathe.

He licked at his lips, his voice emerging softly. "This is the moment. Right now."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"What my grandmother told me. She said if I didn't change, then there would come a day when I would look back on this time in my life and I would be able to pinpoint the moment when I let my chance at happiness slip through my fingers." He paused and then whispered, "This is the moment. Right here. Right now."

"I'm not sure I underst-..."

He cut her off by removing one of his hands from the chain and snaking his arm around her waist, pulling her so close their upper bodies touched and her legs fell in between his. His lips crashed into hers, his tongue diving into her mouth. Robin brought her hand to the back of his head, her fingernails digging into his hair. Patrick's lips moved to her jawline, trailing heated kisses all the way to her ear, before moving down her neck.

He slowly pulled back and looked at her, eyes half-lidded. "I kissed my first girl here. I thought it only fitting to kiss my last, too."

Robin blinked back tears and swallowed against the lump in her throat. "So this means-..."

He brought his hand up to her cheek, his thumb making circles along her jaw. "I'm not letting my chance at happiness slip through my fingers. I'm not letting you."

Robin slowly nodded, her head spinning, and took a deep breath. "And this isn't just a reaction to everything that happened with your grandmother and your father, right? You're not going to realize you made a huge decision when you were emotionally fragile and then change your mind, are you?"

He shook his head. "This is a reaction to you. To everything that's happened between us. The truth is, I could have gotten through this without you. But I realized something last night after you left my room and I sat down to write the eulogy. I didn't want to have to. Somewhere along the way, your opinion became very important to me. I would wake up and think of something I wanted to tell you. I would see something or hear something and I'd wish that you were there to share it with me. And that's what a relationship is about, right? Being able to live without that person, but not wanting to."

He paused, his chest tightening in emotion, but his eyes focused solely on hers. She couldn't have looked away if she wanted to. "That scared me for a long time because of what happened with my parents. I saw what losing my mother did to my father. I didn't want to open myself up to a woman and then be devastated if I lost her. I didn't want to take the risk. But seeing my father yesterday and hearing him talk about how he changed his ways to be with my mother...It made me realize that he didn't have any regrets. Even knowing the pain he would go through and how it would devastate him, I knew he would do it all over again in a minute. My father made a choice to be with my mother. And then he was forced to live without her. He didn't have a choice. But I do. I could live without you, Robin, but I don't want to. I refuse to live without you for even one more moment. My father knew being with my mother was worth the risk. I think I'm starting to understand it's worth the risk, too. That you're worth the risk."

Robin smiled, as a tear slipped down her cheek. "I think you're finally starting to get it."

He brushed the tear away with his thumb. "There are some things I'm just a little slow at."

"I knew you'd get there eventually."

He grinned. "Yeah, but you probably thought we'd both be old and gray, arguing about Bingo by then."

She laughed. "It crossed my mind."

He bit at his bottom lip. "Well, we're in this for the long haul, right?" She nodded, a smile spreading across her lips, as he went on. "So, maybe someday we will be old and gray, arguing about Bingo."

Robin shook her head. "I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself. Baby steps, Patrick."

He shrugged. "I understand. You're still afraid I'm eventually going to change my mind. What you don't understand is that once I make up my mind about something, I stick to it."

"No, it's just that relationships are hard work. And sometimes no matter how much you want them to, things don't work out."

He nodded, whispering, "And sometimes they do." He smiled. "I've got a good feeling about this one."

She grinned. "Well, who can argue with a good feeling?"

"No one," he replied, his breath tickling her lips. "Now, you're currently tied with Suzy for my best kiss in this spot. You want to do something about that?"

She smiled into his lips, "It would be my pleasure."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her onto his lap, as they kissed.

---

Robin smiled, as Patrick absentmindedly rubbed his thumb in circles on the back of her hand. They walked up the path to his grandmother's house and up the porch steps. They stopped at the door, turning to face each other. They looked at each other for a minute, savoring the moment.

Robin smiled. "So, are you going to tell them?"

He grinned. "That we made out on the swings in the park? Nah. Seems kind of tacky, don't you think?"

She offered him a good-natured roll of her eyes. "No, I meant are you going to tell them that you let them believe we were in a relationship?"

He shrugged. "Why? What does it matter now? We're together now, so I don't see the point."

"I don't know. I just felt bad lying to them. Of course, your cousin Rachel figured it out."

His eyes widened. "She did? I should have known. If Riley figured it out, so would Rachel."

"Riley knew?"

Patrick nodded. "Yup, he gave me a whole 'don't let that girl go' speech."

A smile spread across Robin's lips. "I knew there was a reason I liked that guy."

Patrick's eyes narrowed playfully. He wrapped his arms around her waist possessively and pulled her to him. "Don't get any ideas."

Robin's eyes twinkled. "I don't know. He is pretty cute. That dark hair and that dimpled smile."

Patrick scoffed at that. "Well, they say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but I've never been a big believer in that. I was doing the dark hair and dimple thing before he was even born."

"How much older are you than him?"

"Three weeks," he said, his eyes sparkling.

Robin laughed. Patrick silenced her by placing his hands on the sides of her face and bringing his lips to hers. Robin snaked her arms around his neck and was just about to bring her hands to the back of his head to deepen the kiss when they heard a squeal.

"Oh, look at them! So cute!"

Robin and Patrick quickly pulled apart. Patrick licked at his lips, the taste of her lingering, and turned in the direction of the door. Aunt Geraldine and Aunt Lydia filled the doorway, huge smiles spread across their faces.

Patrick arched an eyebrow. "You mind?"

Aunt Lydia waved her hands at them. "Not at all. You two go right ahead."

Robin looked at him and muttered, "You guys are definitely related."

Patrick grabbed Robin's hand and maneuvered his way around his aunts to get inside. Most of the family had left by now. Those that remained were in clean-up mode.

Robin turned to Patrick. "I'm going to see if they need any help in the kitchen."

"I'm sure they've got in covered."

Aunt Geraldine swatted him on the arm. "You be quiet! The girl's got manners. My niece, God rest her soul, didn't raise you in a barn. But just because you act like you were raised in one half the time, doesn't mean Robin has to."

"I didn't mean-..."

Aunt Lydia eyed him. "You want to wash those dishes?"

Patrick smiled at Robin and gave her a little push in the direction of the kitchen. "Wear rubber gloves. It'll protect your hands."

She offered him a smirk. "Thanks for the advice."

Robin headed toward the kitchen. Patrick looked at his aunts. "I guess I'll go watch some television."

Aunt Geraldine grabbed his ear. "You're not going anywhere."

Patrick wriggled free of her grip and rubbed at his ear, his face twisting in confusion. "What was that for?"

Aunt Lydia glared at him. "That was for lying to us."

"How did you-..."

"Your cousins have big mouths."

He sighed. "You two didn't seem to have a problem when you were spying on us a minute ago."

Aunt Geraldine smiled. "That's because we knew you weren't faking anymore. There wasn't a need. You didn't know anyone was watching."

Aunt Lydia nodded. "So, you finally decided to stop being a wuss and go after the girl, huh?"

Patrick offered them a toothless smile. "Why couldn't I get the great aunts who bake cookies and pinch my cheeks?"

Aunt Geraldine reached up and pinched his cheek hard, causing him to yelp loudly. She pulled back and he rubbed at his skin.

"Better?" she asked, her smile sweet.

Patrick rubbed at his ear with one hand and his cheek with the other. "I think I need ice again."

He made a move toward the kitchen, but they blocked his path.

"We said you're not going anywhere."

He sighed. "Come on. I'm running out of body parts for you to injure."

Aunt Lydia smiled. "Come with us. We have something to give to you."

Patrick muttered under his breath, "What? Arsenic?"

They threw him icy glares.

Aunt Geraldine shook her head. "Always a comedian. Now, close your mouth and follow us."

He eyed them suspiciously, before following them up the stairs.

---

They entered Grandma Lee's bedroom. Patrick smiled warmly at the room that hadn't changed a bit since he was a kid. Her old quilt still lay on the bed and her rocking chair was by the window.

Aunt Geraldine moved to the bureau and opened up the top drawer. She pulled out a small velvet box and then closed the drawer.

"Sit," Aunt Lydia ordered.

Patrick knew better than to argue. He sat down on the bed and each aunt sat beside him. Aunt Geraldine handed him the box.

"What's this?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Open it and find out, you fool," Aunt Lydia replied.

Patrick opened the box, his breath catching in his chest at the sight inside.

"Mom's engagement ring," he whispered, his eyes focused on the sparkling pear-shaped diamond ring.

"That's right," Aunt Geraldine said.

He looked up at her. "I don't understand."

Aunt Geraldine smiled. "After your mother died, your father brought that ring to your grandmother. He said that he wanted you to have it when you found the woman you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. Noah didn't think he could handle being the one to give it you though, so he gave it to Lee. That was actually the last time he saw her."

Patrick could feel tears begin to sting his eyes.

Aunt Lydia continued. "Lee must have felt something was wrong. She must have sensed something because she asked us to come over last week. She told us that if something happened to her before she could give this to you, then she wanted us to do it. She told us about this new woman in your life. There was something in your voice that told Lee she was the one, even though you wouldn't let yourself realize yet. Lee said she had to pass the family test first though. She had to put up with us and fit in with us. Well, Robin did just that. I know you're not ready for marriage, but you've got the girl now. All you needed was the ring."

Patrick smiled at them. "Thank you."

They put their arms around him and each kissed a temple. Then they pulled back and smiled sweetly, saying, "Don't screw it up."

Patrick laughed.

---

Robin gave her last hug to Patrick's family members. They squeezed her so hard she was sure they broke a few ribs. Rachel and Riley exchanged looks with Robin and Patrick, respectively. They both knew things had changed and they couldn't have been happier.

Robin and Patrick gave one last wave and then headed outside. They walked down the path and got into the car.

Patrick turned to Robin and smiled. "Let's go home."

Robin returned his smile. "I thought you were home."

He brought his hand up and cupped her cheek, meeting her eyes and whispering, "From now on, home is wherever you are."

Robin blinked back sudden tears, as Patrick brought his lips to hers in a soft kiss.

**---------------------------------------------THE END----------------------------------------------------**  
Okay...so I could be convinced to do a little epilogue if you guys really want one! So, convince me, persuade me, bribe me (I accept cash, jewelry, and candy). Actually, truth be told, I already started writing one! But feel free to send cash, jewelry, and candy anyway!

**Epilogue coming soon...**

Anyway, thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you thought!

-Steph


	5. Epilogue

**Title **: Home Is Where the Heart Is  
**Author **: Steph  
**Rating **: PG  
**Pairing **: Robin/Patrick  
**Category **: Romance/Drama/bit of Humor  
**Disclaimer **: I do this out of a love for this couple. No infringement is intended.  
**Spoilers **: Nothing really.  
**Summary **: Robin and Patrick travel to his hometown for his grandmother's funeral.

**Note **: Thank you for the feedback on the last part. I'm so glad you enjoyed the ending! Okay, here's the Epilogue. Thanks for the cash (I'll put it to good use), the jewelry (it's beautiful!) and the candy (so yummy!) Thanks for all of the support and kind words during this story. I really appreciate it. Hope you enjoy the Epilogue and please let me know what you thought! Thanks! -Steph

**--- Home Is Where the Heart Is: _Epilogue_ ---**

_- One Year Later -  
_

"Patrick?" Robin called out, as she entered the apartment they shared. She was struggling with three grocery bags. "Patrick? Could you please come down and give me a hand?"

"I'm kind of busy," he called from the office down the hall.

Robin rolled her eyes and muttered, "My prince."

She managed to get the bags into the kitchen, plopping them down on the kitchen counter with a loud sigh.

"Hey, could you come here for a second?" he called again.

Robin groaned and shouted back, "I've got groceries, Patrick. They need to be unpacked. There are frozen things that need to go into the freezer before they melt. I guess you could say I've got grown-up things to do."

"It will only take a minute," he said.

She sighed and walked down the hall. She stood in the doorway, shaking her head when she caught sight of him. He was lying on the floor playing with his racecar set.

She gestured to it. "See this? Not a grown-up thing to do."

He met her eyes, flashing her a smile. "You didn't seem to mind the first time we played. Or the last hundred times we've played. Maybe you're just bitter because you've never won."

Her eyes narrowed at him. "That's a lie and you know it. I'm so much better than you, it's not even funny."

"Prove it," he said challengingly.

She bit at her bottom lip. "But the groceries-..."

"Chicken."

She smiled. "Yes, I bought chicken."

He grinned. "Funny. You know what I meant. Don't make me do the chicken sounds. It's not real attractive."

She sighed and sat down next to him.

She gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "Hello, by the way."

He smiled at her. "Hello, to you, too. I missed you."

She laughed. "Yeah, right. I worked all day and then went grocery shopping. You had the day off and spent it playing with toys. I bet I didn't even cross your mind."

He offered her a charming grin and brought his hand up, his thumb caressing her cheek. "You're always on my mind. Don't you know that by now?"

He began to bring his lips to hers, but she brought her hand to his chest and halted his movement.

"I know what you're trying to do."

"What?"

"Get me all distracted so I'm not on top of my game."

He offered her a lopsided grin. "Is it working?"

"Nope, I'm not that easily distracted."

He moved his thumb to her bottom lip, tracing its outline. He could hear her breath catch in her chest.

He whispered, "I beg to differ."

She raised her brow. "You want to play or not?"

"Do you mean racecars?"

She rolled her eyes and grabbed her remote. "Come on, time to get your ass kicked."

They pressed their buttons and their cars began to speed around the track. Patrick won the first game. Then the second. Robin began to pout. When he won the third, she threw her remote down.

"Mature," he commented with a smile.

"You're cheating," she declared.

"No one likes a sore loser," he countered.

She gestured to her car. "You did something to my car. It's going slower than usual."

"Paranoid, are we?"

"I know you. You'll do anything to get what you want."

"Well, that's true," he said softly, his eyes scanning her face.

She eyed him suspiciously. "What did you do to my car?"

"Nothing. See for yourself," he said, waving his hand at the car.

Robin picked up her car and held it up to her face, inspecting it closely. Her eyes widened at what she found. Sitting inside the car, was a beautiful pear-shaped diamond ring.

Her mouth dropped open and she turned to Patrick. She couldn't seem to find any words.

He licked at his lips. "Okay, so I did mess with your car. I'm hoping you'll forgive me."

She swallowed hard, tears springing to her eyes. "I think I could manage that."

Patrick pulled the ring out of the car and met her eyes. "This was my mother's engagement ring. My father gave it to my grandmother to give to me when I found the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. She passed it on to my aunts right before she died. They gave it to me when we went up for the funeral."

"You've had it all this time?"

He smiled. "In my sock drawer."

She smiled. He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes. Her smile slowly faded, as her chest tightened. "The day I met you was the best day of my life because it brought me to this moment right now. This moment where I'm looking at my best friend, the only woman I could ever imagine spending my life with. I know I don't deserve you. I've always known that. But I must have done something right because you love me. Robin, I love you more than you'll ever know. Will you marry me?"

A tear slipped down her cheek and Patrick caught it with his thumb.

She swallowed hard and took a deep breath, before a slow smile spread across her lips. "I thought you'd never ask."

He smiled widely and then slipped the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit.

Robin stared at the ring for a long moment, then looked up at him. "It's beautiful."

"You're beautiful," he whispered, before bringing his lips to hers.

After a few moments, they pulled back, but their eyes remained closed, foreheads touching.

"I love you," she whispered. She paused and then added, "But you owe me a rematch, you cheater."

He simply shook his head and laughed.

---

_- One and a Half Years Later -_

Riley stood up and raised his champagne glass, as he looked at Robin and Patrick.

"When Patrick was six years old he told our entire family that he wanted to marry Wonder Woman. I remember thinking, 'What an idiot. He's going to spend his entire life looking for a woman that can compare to Wonder Woman. He'll never find her.' But leave it to Patrick to prove me wrong. I didn't think there was a woman in this world who could get Patrick to change his ways, help him get past what was holding him back. Then he found Robin. And I've never been so glad to be wrong before." Riley smiled good-naturedly at Patrick and shook his head. "You don't deserve her, man."

Patrick looked at Robin and grinned. He cupped his hands over his mouth and replied, "Tell me something I don't know."

Riley's smile widened. "Okay, in ninth grade I made out with Tiffany Rider even though I knew you liked her."

Patrick and Robin laughed, as did their guests.

Riley swallowed. "I saw Patrick the day after he asked Robin to marry him. She, in an obvious moment of temporary insanity, had agreed and he literally could not stop smiling. I've known him his entire life, save those three horrible weeks before I was born, and I had never seen him like that before. He told me he was the happiest he had ever been in his entire life. And he was. I could tell just by looking at him." Riley focused on Robin. "You did that for him, Robin. You changed him. I think I speak on behalf of our entire family when I say thank you. He is so much easier to put up with now!"

Robin laughed and turned to Patrick. She brought her hand up and caressed his cheek, before bringing her lips to his. There was a chorus of 'aws' from the guests.

Robin pulled back and smiled at him. "Apparently, you're one lucky guy."

He smiled. "Apparently." He paused and then added, "Kinda sucks that my family likes you better than me now though."

She laughed. Riley cleared his throat loudly. Robin and Patrick tore their eyes away from each other and returned them to him.

He smiled. "Uh, I wasn't quite done. I just wanted to say, in all seriousness, I wish you two all of the happiness in the world. It's obvious to everyone who knows you that you were meant to find each other. And I am so glad you did. Congratulations!"

Their guests clapped. Robin and Patrick turned to each other, their lips meeting in a soft kiss. They separated and had become lost in each other's eyes again when they felt a presence behind them. They turned in their chairs, finding Noah standing behind them.

"I just wanted to offer the happy couple my personal congratulations."

Robin stood up and gave Noah a hug. "Thank you, Noah."

Patrick extended his hand to his father, but Noah smiled and grabbed it, pulling his son out of his seat and into his arms for a hug.

He then whispered into his son's ear. "There are two women looking down at you right now who couldn't be any happier for you or more proud of you." He pulled back and met his son's eyes, which were now glassy with tears held back. "I join them."

Patrick smiled. "Thank you, Dad."

Noah took a deep breath and wiped at his right eye, the sudden appearance of a tear unnerving him. He looked at Robin. "If he gives you any trouble, you be sure and let me know."

Robin laughed. "I'll put you on speed dial."

Noah offered them one last look and a smile, before turning on his heel.

Robin looked at the tears in Patrick's eyes.

She took his hand in hers and squeezed it, "Are you okay?"

He nodded, bringing his other hand to her cheek. "I've never been happier."

"Then why the tears? I can see them in your eyes."

He shrugged. "I was just thinking I wish they were here to share this with us. I wish they had gotten a chance to meet you."

Robin smiled warmly at him and gestured with her free hand at his family that filled the room. "They're here, Patrick. They're here in spirit. They're here in the hearts of everyone who loved them and loves you."

He nodded and brought his lips to hers again.

---

_- Two Years Later -_

Robin sighed and rolled her eyes. "Could you please settle on one show? You've gone through all of the channels thirty times."

Patrick was sitting on their couch and Robin's head was in his lap, her body sprawled out before her. Patrick's left hand controlled the remote, while his right arm was draped across her body, his hand settled protectively over her bulging belly.

"There's nothing on."

"We have 200 channels."

"And there's nothing decent on any of them."

"Give me the remote," she said, raising her hand up and reaching behind her.

"No."

"Patrick, give me the remote."

"No."

She gritted her teeth. "My hormones are raging like crazy, Patrick, and I cannot be held responsible for my actions. Now you have two choices. You can either give me the remote or you can risk incurring the wrath of a very, very pregnant woman."

He winced. "You're not going to knee me in the groin again like you did when you found out I ate the last Jell-O Pudding Snack, are you?"

She smiled. "Oh, it'll be so much worse than that."

His eyes widened. He moved to hand her the remote control, when he felt a kick against his hand. His mouth dropped open.

"I felt the baby kick!"

Robin smiled and placed her hand over his. "Finally. You always seem to miss it."

Patrick grinned, "Well, it seems like the baby has your natural kicking talent."

"Good. If it's a girl, then she'll be able to kick her thoughtless husband when he finishes her favorite craving while pregnant with his child." She paused and then added, "Now give me the remote."

He handed her the remote control. "Have you ever noticed that I won a lot more arguments before we got together?"

"You never won any arguments before we got together."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. Come on, I was always putting you in your place."

She laughed. "You're just as delusional now as you were then."

He smiled and used his left hand, now free from the remote, to stroke her hair. "Remember how you used to tell me you wouldn't sleep with me if I were the last man on earth?"

She grinned, as she settled on an episode of 'Friends'. "How could I forget?"

"And do you remember how I used to tell you that someday you would eventually sleep with me, no matter what you said?"

"Of course."

He smirked. "Well, I was right. I guess that's one argument I won."

She smiled and looked up at him. "So, let's see. That's 1 for you and 4,567 for me."

He shrugged. "Yeah, but I probably won the most important argument. It's the quality of the argument, not the quantity."

She laughed, as he brought his lips down to hers.

When he pulled back, she looked into his eyes.

"What do you think the baby will be like when it grows up?" she asked softly.

He shrugged. "I don't know."

She smiled. "Well, I'm sure he or she will have my brains, my looks, my patience, my caring and compassionate attitude."

Patrick smirked. "Hey, I've got brains and looks to offer, too." He conveniently left out the other parts she had mentioned.

Robin smiled and brought her thumb up to caress his dimple. "Well, you've certainly got something to offer in the looks department."

Patrick shook his head at her. His expression then grew serious. "Honestly, I just want our kid to have the happy childhood I did."

Robin nodded, a gentle smile appearing on her lips. "I think we can do something about that."

"So do I," he said, as he stroked her belly and gave her another kiss on the lips.

---

_- Three Years Later -  
_

"No, no. Aunt Lydia, I'm cutting you out of the picture. You need to move in more," Rachel said, as they all gathered in front of the Christmas tree at Robin and Patrick's house.

Aunt Lydia sighed. "Rachel, dear, if I move in anymore I'm going to crush your poor twin brother."

Riley squirmed and threw Rachel a glare. "Listen to the lady, Rachel. I can't breathe."

Aunt Geraldine, who was on the other side of him, smacked him upside the head. "Don't be rude."

Rachel groaned. She looked at Robin and Patrick who knelt in the front, their three year old son, Noah Robert Drake, between them, waiting patiently.

"Why is it that the youngest family member among us is also the most cooperative?"

Robin smiled and ran her hands through her son's dark locks.

Patrick looked at his cousin. "Maybe because this is still new to him. He hasn't spent Christmas after Christmas trying to take a family picture for an hour. Give him a few years. He'll be disillusioned like the rest of us."

Rachel sighed in frustration. It had been like this ever since she could remember. It would take forever for them all to gather around the tree, fit in the picture, and stop talking and moving. Still, every year, the picture came out terrible. Heads were cut off, arms were missing, mouths were open, heads turned, eyes closed. But Grandma Lee had insisted that they take the picture every year, no matter how long it took or how terribly it turned out. They couldn't bear not to continue the tradition.

Rachel held up her hand. "Come on, let's finish so we can open presents."

"Presents!" Little Noah said, as he clapped his hands together.

Riley raised his hand, his face growing red. "Uh, I've got to go to the bathroom."

Rachel moaned. "What are you? Six? Hold it!"

"I've been holding it for an hour already!" he replied to his sister.

She gritted her teeth. "Well, you're going to hold it for another minute."

She adjusted the camera on the tripod one last time and pressed the timer button. She then moved quickly and squeezed into the picture on the right side.

Patrick smiled. "Say, 'Annual Family Torture'."

They all erupted into a fit of laughter, just as the camera went off.

Aunt Lydia and Aunt Geraldine each hit him upside the head, saying in unison, "You ruined the picture!"

Robin laughed and brought her hand up to rub at his head, as he grimaced.

Rachel threw her hands up in the air. "No one move! We need to take it again!"

But it was too late. They had already begun to disperse.

"Fine," she muttered. "Another horrible family picture."

Robin and Patrick came to stand beside her. Robin smiled. "It's nice that you've continued the tradition, Rachel."

Patrick grinned. "Come on, Rach, it wouldn't be a family picture if we couldn't look at it later and laugh. That's what makes it great."

Her expression softened. "I guess." She moved her eyes to the tree and to little Noah, who was picking up each present and shaking it. She looked at Patrick. "Remind you of anyone?"

Patrick smiled and looked at Robin. "He's got just the right mix of both of us. He's going to drive some poor woman crazy someday."

Just then, the front door swung open, sending in a chilly breeze. Everyone turned to the door and smiled at who they saw. Noah stood in the doorway, all bundled up and holding a huge present.

Little Noah spotted his grandfather and ran to the door, immediately attaching himself to his leg. "Grandpa!"

Robin and Patrick walked over to Noah and smiled.

"Merry Christmas, Noah," Robin said.

"Merry Christmas," he said. Then he looked at his son. "You want to stop staring at me and give me a hand with this?"

Patrick grinned, "Sorry, I didn't want to insult you and make you feel like the feeble, old man I know you to be."

"Feeble, old man, huh? You mean the same feeble old man who made you like a little boy playing 'Operation' in the OR the other day," he replied playfully. "That feeble, old man?"

Robin rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay. That's enough, you two. Patrick, help your father."

Patrick took the gift from him and they all went back into the family room. The family greeted Noah warmly, coming up and offering him hugs. Now that Patrick had a family of his own, Noah had slowly reentered the family circle. In many ways, it felt like he had never left. And it made him feel closer to Mattie.

Noah pried his grandson off his leg and picked him up. "So, that big present is for you, little guy. You want to open it?"

Little Noah nodded his head vigorously. His grandfather put him down and he ran over to the gift, ripping into it in record time. His eyes widened and he jumped up and down at the gift.

Patrick smiled warmly, as he turned to his father. "A racecar set."

Noah nodded. "You always said it was the best present you ever received. I know how special it is to you. I thought my grandson would like one of his own. God knows, you won't pass yours down to him!"

Robin slipped her hand into Patrick's, as they watched their son stare wide eyed at the box, surrounded by his family.

She smiled up at him. "This is pretty great, isn't it?"

He nodded, as he put his arms around her shoulders. "Yeah, it is."

---

_- Two Years Later-_  


Patrick walked into the kitchen and sniffed. "It smells like you're cooking."

Robin smiled from her spot at the stove. "You, my dear husband, are very perceptive."

His eyes narrowed. "What's the occasion? Did I forget an occasion that I'm going to be paying for dearly?"

"Why does there have to be an occasion?"

"Because you only cook when there's an occasion." He added under his breath, "Thank God."

Robin turned to him, her smile playful. "I heard that." She then shrugged. "No occasion. I had the day off and I felt like cooking. See, some of us do productive things when we have time off."

She turned back toward the stove. He snuck up behind her, slipping his arms around her waist. Even after all this time, he still sent chills up and down her body. She closed her eyes and leaned back into him.

He whispered into her ear. "Come on now. What about when we both have time off? I'm very productive then."

She chuckled, his breath tickling her skin. "I can't argue with that."

She opened her eyes and took a deep breath, as she straightened a bit and tried to refocus her attention on the task at hand. He moved his mouth from her ear.

"Patrick!" Robin giggled, as her husband began to trail heated kisses down the back of her neck.

"Come on," he muttered against her skin. "Forget dinner. Let's skip ahead to dessert."

"Patrick," she said again in a moan, her eyes fluttering closed, as he moved back to her ear and nibbled.

He turned her around in his arms and found her lips, his tongue diving in. Robin wrapped her arms around his neck. Patrick placed his hands on her waist and lifted her up onto the counter. He moved between her legs, as she wrapped them around his hips. He moved his lips down her throat, to just above her cleavage. She ran her hands over his back, her nails gripping his shirt. She threw her head back.

Patrick slowly pulled back. He moved his thumb and forefinger up to her chin so she would look at him. Her liquid gaze met his eyes, which were dark with desire.

"Dance with me," he said.

She laughed softly. "That wasn't the request I was expecting."

He smiled gently. "Don't worry, it won't be the last tonight." His smile faded slowly. He spoke again, his voice husky. "Dance with me, Robin."

She smiled. "There's no music."

"We don't need any," he replied, his eyes capturing hers.

Robin didn't respond, she simply slid off of the counter and melted into Patrick. She placed her head against his chest and snaked her arms around his neck. His arms wrapped securely around her waist, as they swayed back and forth. He placed his chin on top of her head and closed his eyes.

Just then, their five year old son, Noah, appeared in the doorway. He watched his parents dance in each others arms.

Patrick's eyes slowly opened, landing on his son.

He whispered to Robin, "Noah's staring at us."

Robin's eyes popped open, but neither made a move to separate. "I checked on him a few minutes ago. He was sound asleep."

"Well, he's not anymore."

Robin's eyes widened and she looked up at Patrick, as they continued to sway. "Oh, God. How long do you think he's been standing there?"

Patrick offered her a dimpled smile. "I don't know. He doesn't seem traumatized in any way though."

Robin shook her head. "He probably saw us, Patrick. We scarred him for life."

Patrick laughed. "Come on, what kind of self-respecting family doesn't require you to get a little therapy as an adult?"

Robin groaned. "We probably just ruined kitchens for him, Patrick. I can see it now. He'll tell his therapist, 'And I haven't been able to even look at a kitchen since.'"

Patrick smiled. "This is my kid we're talking about. If he saw anything, then it probably just gave him a few ideas. You know, to store away for future reference."

Her lips turned downward and she swatted his arm. "Don't be disgusting." Robin then shook her head and buried her face in his chest. "Is he still staring?"

"Yup."

"He's probably catatonic. We made our five year old son catatonic."

Patrick chuckled. "No, I'm telling you, he seems fine. He's just smiling at us."

Robin glanced over her shoulder at their son, her brow furrowing. "He is just smiling."

Noah stood staring at his parents, as he smiled to himself. For he knew, even at five, that he would carry that picture of love and happiness in his mind forever. And he knew that, someday, he would aspire to have the same thing.

**-------------------------------------THE END----------------------------------------------------  
** Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed the Epilogue and please let me know what you thought!  
-Steph

**Edited to add**: Someone recently left me a reviewthat indicatedthat Robin couldn't have had a pregnancy with her HIV status and said that the epilogue would have worked if they had adopted. This person left an anonymous review, so I was unable to explain. I figured I would explain here in case anyone else questions this. It is possible for an HIV person to have a pregnancy. There are drugs and precautions that can be taken that minimize the risk of transmission to something like 2 percent. In fact, there is much talk that an HIV pregnancy storyline may someday happen for Robin on the show.


End file.
